Amanda Beard is a swimmer who has competed for the United States. She competed at the 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Beard qualified for her first Olympics, as a 14-year-old, in 1996. There, she finished second behind the winner Penelope Heyns in the women's breaststroke double (100 and 200) and helped the U.S. women's team solidify a gold medal triumph for the second consecutive streak in the 4x100 metres medley relay. During the medal ceremony in her individual events, she was often pictured holding her teddy bear.
Beard has continued to be a member of the U.S swimming team at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008. In 2000, she won a bronze in the 200 metres breaststroke with her personal best time (2:25.35). Four years later in Athens, she emerged as a top medal favorite in her pet race after breaking a world record at the U.S. trials in Long Beach, California. She edged out Leisel Jones by 0.23 of a second for her first career gold with an Olympic record time (2:23.37). She trailed the defending champion Yana Klochkova in the 200 metres individual medley and recorded the fastest breaststroke split of the field to claim another silver for the Americans in the 4x100 metres medley relay.
Coming to her fourth straight Games in Beijing, Beard was elected as co-captains of the U.S. swimming team with Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin, but she failed to advance from the heats of the 200 metres breaststroke.
She attempted to qualify for her fifth Olympic team in London, but finished outside the top two at the U.S. trials. Beard closed out her Olympic career with a medal haul of seven.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Women's 100m breaststroke | 
|
| Women's 200m breaststroke |
| |
| Women's 4x100m medley relay | 
| |
| 2000 | Women's 200m breaststroke | 
|
| 2004 | Women's 100m breaststroke | 4th |
| Women's 200m breaststroke |
| |
| Women's 200m individual medley |
| |
| Women's 4x100m medley relay |
| |
| 2008 | Women's 200m breaststroke | 18th |
1996[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres breaststroke | Heats | 1:09.04 | |
| A Final | 1:08.09 | AR | |
| 200 metres breaststroke | Heats | 2:28.10 | |
| A Final | 2:25.75 | ||
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 4:05.80 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 4:02.88 (1:08.34 split) |
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 metres breaststroke | Heats | 2:27.83 |
| Semifinal | 2:26.62 | |
| Final | 2:25.35 |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres breaststroke | Heats | 1:08.04 | |
| Semifinal | 1:07.92 | ||
| Final | 1:07.44 | ||
| 200 metres breaststroke | Heats | 2:26.61 | |
| Semifinal | 2:25.62 | ||
| Final | 2:23.37 | OR | |
| 200 metres individual medley | Heats | 2:14.49 | |
| Semifinal | 2:13.51 | ||
| Final | 2:11.70 | AR | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 4:02.82 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:59.12 (1:06.32 split) |
2008[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 metres breaststroke | Heats | 2:27.70 |
| Semifinal | Did not advance | |
| Final |